Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Need I say more! OK, just a tad more…

I made these for my friend’s birthday. She’s not a sweet person, but when she does indulge she prefers chocolate. So, I indulged her. It was her birthday, after all!

I wanted to make her a special chocolate cupcake. Chocolate and peanut butter (two great tastes that taste great together!) were on my mind. Then I ran into peanut butter and jelly cupcakes made by hollowing out the center of a white cupcake, filling with jelly, and topping with peanut butter frosting. Yum! But let’s make it chocolate. Even better!

I had great success with the chocolate stout cupcakes I made last year for her birthday, but didn’t want beer all up in my cpb&j cupcakes. A little coffee subbed for the beer did the trick!

Grape jelly just wasn’t going to cut it. I used cherry preserves, and, oh my god! If you’re thinking of skipping the jelly part, don’t!

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Makes about 22 cupcakes

Cake
1 cup brewed coffee
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

• Bring coffee and butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth, and let cool.
• Beat eggs and sour cream in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and beat to combine.
• Fill individual, lined cupcake molds 3/4 full, and bake for 18-20 minutes in a preheated 350° oven. Let cool.

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 teaspoons whipping cream

• Beat sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla extract together. Add whipping cream, if frosting is too thick.

To Assemble
1 jar of cherry preserves
cupcakes
frosting

• Cut a cone shaped hole in the top of the cupcake with a sharp knife. Remove the cupcake plug, cut the tip of the cone off, and set the top aside. Fill the hole with jelly, and place the top of the plug back on the cupcake.
  
• Frost cupcake. (Chocolate shavings optional.)